Developing machine



Sept. l2, 1961 J. l.. HARRIS DEVELOPING MACHINE Filed Feb. l2, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1961 J. l.. HARRIS DEVELOPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1959 JHQ rrz's INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1961 J, 1 HARRIS DEVELOPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. l2, 1959 ATTORNEYS Sept. 12, 1961 J. L.. HARRIS DEVELOPING MACHINE:

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. l2, 1959 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent() 2,999,447 DEVELOPING MACHINE James Leslie Harris, 1206 W. 1st St., Sulphur, Okla. Filed Feb. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 792,795 2 Claims. (Cl. 95-94) This invention relates to photo developing machines for use in developing of large pictures of such size that they cannot very well be handled by the usual methods known to those skilled in the art.

It is the primary object of this developing machine -to provide a mechanism that will quickly develop large pictures in but a fraction of the time usually required for such work.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine that will require a minimum of space.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a developing machine that has a minimum number of parts and can be manufactured at low cost.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is aside elevational view of this machine.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of this developing machine.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3 3 of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIG. 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 5 5 of FIG. 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6 6 of FIG. 4, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 7 7 of FIG. 5, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. l

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 8 8 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail view showing a modified means of rotating the upper roller of this mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 10 10 of FIG. 9 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 11 is an end view of a modified form of drive mechanism for this invention.

FIG. l2 is a side View of FIG. ll.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to thel drawings in detail, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, there is generally indicated by .the reference character 15 two frames consisting of upright 17, legs 19 and 20, and handle 21. Said two frames are attached together by horizontal rods 23 land 24. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is to be seen that the upright 17 `contains openings 25 through which passes bol-t 26, which also passes through a slot 27 in member 28. One end of bolt 26 is threaded for hand wheel 29, the object of Said bolt 26 and hand wheel 29 being to provide means of clamping member 28 to any desired position Ialong upright 17. Attached to the lower end of said member 28 is a guide 30 which is fitted loosely around upright 17, thus keeping the member 28 in place with relation to the stated upright 17. Atie rod 31 has its ends connected to the upper extremity of upright 17, thus giving additional stability to said frame 15. A shaft support 32 is secured to -tie rod 31 midway between the two uprights 17. A shaft 33 passes through shaft support 32, and has one of its ends passing through member 28, gear 34 and elevating wheel 35. Gear 34 engages with rack 36 that is attached to member 28, while shaft 37 passes longitudinally through the center of roller 38 located between the two frames 15 and near the upper end 39 of member 28. The end 40 of shaft 37 passes through an opening near the upper end 39 of member 28, and has a hand crank 41 attached thereon. Collar 42 on shaft 37 keeps the end roller 38 from rubbing against the inside of end 39 of member 28 as is clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Roller 38 is encompassed by a thin piece of rubber 38' having a plurality of serrations 39' parallel to shaft 37.

A roller 43 is held between the lower end 44 of uprig-ht 17 by means of the shaft 45 of roller 43. Attached to the center of each member 28 is a bracket 46' which supports stapling board 47 as will be more fully described in the operation of this device.

With this apparatus as above described, the operation of developing large paper is extremely simple. The removable legs 48 are placed in sockets 49 which are located on the upper ends of rack 36. The entire apparatus is then turned over on its side and is now supported by the removable legs 48, as well as by legs 19 on frames 1 5. The paper 50 which is to be developed is now placed on the device by taking one edge 51 and holding it over opening 52 of -stapling board 47. Now pass the paper 50 over bottom ledge 53 of stapling board 47, fasten paper down with thumb tacks 54 to led-ge 53, `and pass paper 50 down under roller 43, then up over roller 38 located at the upper end of the said apparatus. Bring the paper 50 down over the top edge of ledge 55 of stapling board 47 to join the edge 51 of the paper. Fasten paper 50 to top ledge 55 of stapling board with thumb tacks 56. A stapler 57 having an extension arm 58 attached by means of screw 59 is now opened and set into the groove 49 in stapling board 47, and the two edges 51 and 51 of paper 50 are stapled together. Stapler 57 and thumb tacks 54 and 56 and stapling board 47 are now all removed from this apparatus. The apparatus is now placed in an upright position and set on its four legs 19 and 20. The removable legs 48 are taken oif the device. Hand wheels 29 are loosened, elevating wheels 35 are turned causing racks 36 to move upward or downward as required through action of gear 34, and the movement of the racks 36 elevates or lowers roller 38 by reason of construction previously described. This elevation or lowering of rollers 38 loosens or tightens the paper 50 that is to be developed, since the paper passes over the roller as clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the appended drawings.

Generally speaking, the paper is tightened after being placed on this apparatus, and before developing it is loosened, and is loosened after developing so that it may be more readily removed from the apparatus. The hand wheels 35 are now tightened to hold the paper 50 in the desired tension through mechanism previously described, while it is being developed. The device is now lifted by means of handles 21 and 22 and lowered with its lower roller 43, with the developing paper around it, into developing tank 60. Hand crank 41 is now turned clockwise thus rotating roller 38 and obviously gripping paper 50 by means of ser-rations 39', thus preventing it from slipping on roller 38 as it is turned, and causing all of paper 50 to pass through whatever solution may be in the developing tank 60. The normal procedure will be to have four separate tanks such as tanks 60, one for developing, one for stop bath, one for xing the picture, and one for washing the picture.

A pipe 61 extends through the length of tank 60 adjacent to the upper edge thereof, and is provided with a line of spray openings 62 so that water from a suitable water supply may be sprayed downward onto the developing paper under treatment Washing the developing iluid Afrom the paper or print, back into the tank since this side of the paper will be moving downward by reason of the clockwise rotation of rollers 38 and 43.

No description of the operation of removing the paper 50 `after it has been developed on this apparatus is necessary.

The above device as described has the hand crank 41 on the opposite end of end 40 of shaft 37. However, an optional method of rotating the shaft 37 is through gears 68 and 69 as clearly shown in FIG. 11. If desired, the above noted shaft 37 may be rotated by means of an electric motor 63 mounted to the upper end 39 of member 28. The motor is connected to the end 4i),l of shaft 37 by means of a clutch 65 on motor 63, and the stated clutch 65 engages with clutch member 66 on shaft 40', whenever screw 67 is loosened and electric motor 63 is moved inward towards roller 38.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved developing machine which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may -be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illust-rative and not in a limiting sense.

l claim:

1. A photographic developing apparatus embodying a frame comprised of inverted U-shaped supporting llegs adapted to t over a developing tank, uprights secured to said supporting legs, horizontal upper and lower rods connecting said uprights, threaded bolts extending laterally from said uprights, movable roller supporting bars having openings elongated longitudinally thereof, mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of said uprights, through which said threaded bolts extend, threaded hand Wheels on said threaded bolts for -securing said uprights and supporting bars in various positions of adjustment, rack bars secured to said roller supporting bars, an operating shaft extending between said uprights, gears on said operating shaft meshing with the teeth of said rack bars in moving said roller supporting bars longitudinally of said uprights, a power roller mounted at the upper ends of said rack bars over which a roller moves, said uprights having'bearing openings at the lower ends thereof, an idle roller mounted in said bearing openings, over which the endless lm being developed is rotated, said legs of said frame removably supporting said idler roller and portion of lm under treatment, within said tank, for effecting rotation of said power roller, and handles for electing movement of said frame with respect to said tank.

2. The subject matter as claimed in claim 1, and removable legs extending laterally from the upper ends of said rack bars for supporting frame in an inclined position prior to positioning the frame over a developing tank.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,141 Gooder Mar. 28, 1899 634,631 Smithers et al. Oct. 10, 1899 659,498 Traxler Oct. 9, 1900 FOREIGN PATENTS 692,126 France July 28, 1930 

